Guide to growing garden plants - Epigaea Mayflower
Members of the Epigaea genus are evergreen hardy perennials.
They carry cup shaped flowers of white or pink that bloom in the spring.
Some of the common names for Epigaea include Mayflower, Ground Laural and Trailing Arbutus.
They grow low on the ground.
How to grow Mayflower (Epigaea)
Mayflower seeds (and other Epigaea members) should be sown outdoors using fresh seeds (mid summer) at a depth of about 6mm into a sterile soil that is acidic in nature (pH4 to 5) and gritty. They prefer to be grown in a shady area as they are naturally from woodlands. It usually takes about a month to germinate, but it is difficult to establish Mayflower plants. They should begin to flower after about three years. You may prefer to get plants from a garden centre, if so then plant them outdoors at a spacing of about 25cm either at the beginning of spring or the start of autumn.
Propagation of Epigaea
If you require more Epigaea plants then propagate by taking softwood cuttings towards the end of summer.